


The Coming of Spring

by A_Diamond



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Magical Realism, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Manifestation of Spring Stiles, Original Mythology, Reunions, Seasons, Winter Wolf Derek, Wolf Derek Hale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-20 09:53:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13144185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Diamond/pseuds/A_Diamond
Summary: Snow melts beneath Stiles’s boots as he walks, each step revealing a patch of dark brown beneath the thin blanket of white. He can’t see it yet through the trees, but he knows the cottage is there.





	The Coming of Spring

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nosetothewind94](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nosetothewind94/gifts).



Snow melts beneath Stiles’s boots as he walks, each step revealing a patch of dark brown beneath the thin blanket of white. Further back in his wake, curls of green push up through damp dirt, tentative but tenacious, seedlings and saplings unfurling across the forest floor. He can feel their energy behind him, such strong life force for how outwardly delicate they are, but his focus is ahead; he can’t see it yet through the trees, but he knows the cottage is there.

It comes into view a moment later, while Stiles skirts around the wide trunk of a fallen tree that had definitely been standing when he came this way last year. He pauses to brush a hand along the wood, which is still cold and slick beneath the ice that felled it. Under his touch, frost recedes into thaw and flowers blossom new life in purple and yellow and white.

Though the snow surrounding it is thin, the cottage is frozen beneath a heavy layer of ice; what blocks the door is twice as thick as the rest. The sight stabs through Stiles like an icicle to the heart, and he finishes his journey at a run. Less new growth sprouts in his footsteps as he rushes, but there will be time for that later.

He slows just before the wall of ice, taking the last few steps more carefully so that he’s as close as he can be when he reaches out to press both palms to it.

“Oh, Derek,” he murmurs, turning to rest his cheek against the ice as well, pushing his bare chest to it. “You’ve had a hard time of it, haven’t you. It’s been such a rough winter.”

The chill lingers stubbornly beneath his hands, and a deep, menacing growl starts up from inside. It must be loud and vicious for him to hear its rumble through the door, through the half-glacier separating him from the source within. But the warning only makes him push harder, leaning all his weight and power into his fingers as he spreads them wide over the ice.

Slowly at first, just a trickle, the ice gives in. The more that melts away, the faster the rest turns to water, until it’s all but flooding down from his hands. The block hiding the door from him turns into a waterfall and the rest of the icy shell shudders, cracks, and falls away in a cascade of droplets. The ground drinks them like a bountiful rainfall.

When the door is finally bare before him, it swings open at a touch. The growling intensifies. The interior of the cottage holds more shadow than light, but pale sunshine filters in past him, enough to show him the wolf braced for attack in the center of the floor. The beast is huge, at least as high as Stiles’s stomach at the shoulder, and his fur glitters white where the light outlines him.

The wolf snarls at him, bared teeth and flashing blue eyes, and Stiles smiles. “I know,” he says, “I know. It’s okay now, Derek. You’re okay. I’m here, I’m sorry it took me so long.”

The wolf subsides somewhat. His lip still curls back, angry, defensive, but his growl fades to wary silence. One ear pricks up instead of flattening against his skull, twists toward Stiles, and that means he’s listening. Stiles risks a step inside inside, closer to the wolf; he twitches, but neither lunges nor retreats.

Offering his hand to the wolf, palm upturned, Stiles takes another step. “I tried to get to you sooner. It... It caused some trouble. I got in trouble, something about rules and schedules and—you know, the usual metaphysical crises.  I think I had to wait even longer because of that. I know it’s been hard this year, that’s why I wanted to hurry, but I’m so sorry if you suffered more for it.”

The wolf whines, plaintive, and his bristling, frosty fur shudders. Ice crystals melt off as it settles and reveal soft black fur beneath.

“Hey, beautiful. Come here.”

Stiles opens his arms and the wolf bounds into them without hesitation. Knocking Stiles to the floor, the wolf crawls all over him, sniffing and licking everything he can reach, tail wagging joyously. Stiles laughs and wraps his wolf in his in his arms, buries his face in the thick fur.

“I missed you so much,” he whispers through the emotion threatening to choke him. “Come back to me, Derek. Come back to me all the way, you can come back now.”

In his embrace, the wolf whines again and shivers. Fur shakes against his skin, then pulls away. But the weight on him stays the same; as fur recedes like melting snow, it leaves behind warm flesh in human form, a man that Stiles clings to.

He nuzzles the dark hair brushing his chin. “Derek,” he breathes into it, “Derek, my darling, my love.”

Derek releases his tight grip on Stiles’s arms and pushes part way up, so that he can cup Stiles’s cheek in one hand. His eyes, no longer ice blue but warmer with hints of green and brown, shine with unshed tears. “Stiles. My Stiles, you’ve come back.”

“Always,” Stiles swears to Derek’s lips as they press against his.

The kiss aches in Stiles’s chest, a desperate and lingering kiss of lovers too long separated, but he can feel it healing the ache even as it hurts. Energy flows into him with it, and out of him as it goes on, racing through the cottage in a golden glow. The light rushes on, bursting out the open door and spreading across the land in a wash of glittering motes.

The forest grows and blooms, renewed with vitality at their reunion; at Stiles’s joy. Seasons will pass, and Stiles will be forced away from his home and his love once more when autumn wanes. But in the time they have together, their love will bring life to the world.


End file.
